A Cross-Country Move Joins Couple with HRC’s Dr. Jeffrey Nelson

As a same sex couple, Elena and Erin knew they would need intrauterine insemination (IUI) to create their family. But they were not anticipating fertility problems when they embarked on their baby plans at a North Carolina clinic.

“Generally people think it’s easy to get pregnant because you have doctors and technology,” Elena said. “But after four failed IUIs, we learned nothing was a certainty.” Around the same time, Erin, an active duty Marine for 19 years, had received orders to move to California.

The couple, who married in April 2015, were separated for four months before reuniting in 29 Palms, Calif., and began their search for a new fertility clinic. Friends referred them to HRC Fertility and they also researched online reviews about the practice. They liked what they read and felt confident HRC Fertility would be right for them–even though Dr. Jeffrey Nelson’s office would necessitate a five-hour round trip drive.

Erin felt the same way, and added, “We knew IVF was the next step for us. Knowing others who had been treated successfully by him was reassuring. We took a leap of faith and it worked out marvelously.”

Elena became pregnant in July 2016 during her second IVF treatment. Though her first cycle failed, Dr. Nelson was able to identify through genetic testing a clotting problem that had caused a miscarriage after the couple’s initial IVF attempt.

“It was incredible to have Erin by my side while undergoing IVF,” Elena reminisced. “Dr. Nelson conducted all of our exams; at the other clinics, the nurses saw us. Everyone greeted us by our first names and knew our story. That made us feel special, even though it is a busy practice with many patients.”

Erin and Elena really appreciated the team approach at HRC, where the financial, administrative, nursing and laboratory staff worked in a coordinated fashion to ensure the best type of care. As Elena described, “The financial counselors made sure I understood our financial responsibilities. The nurses always quickly communicated with us when we had questions. The coordination was flawless.”

When Elena was three months pregnant, Erin deployed to Kuwait, where she was stationed when Cassidy Elizabeth was born in early March. Fortunately, technology allowed her to witness the birth and continuously keep in touch with her wife and baby. Erin, who is due home in a few months, remembered that “though it’s hard to be so far away, I was able to zoom in on the baby with my WiFi camera. Considering I’m thousands of miles away, that kind of access is pretty amazing. Knowing that there is an end in sight has also helped.

The couple advise others to be patient and to know their emotional boundaries to best manage expectations. “It’s not unusual to need several cycles of treatment before you get pregnant. You ask ‘why me’ when it seems others are conceiving so easily, so having an understanding of what you can tolerate is important.”

In addition to their new roles as parents, the couple is also preparing for another cross-country move to Virginia after Erin’s return. Everyone at HRC wishes them the best of luck!

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